It is my greatest desire in life to help women see themselves as who God created them to be and step into their calling. We find ourselves at a time where people worldwide are questioning whether or not they will continue on the same path they were on before, or if this is a time for a new start. I hear the stories of what they would do if they could, but I also hear the self-doubt and fear surrounding the ideas. While people, in general, share a common theme of a limited mindset, I see women specifically experiencing self-doubt on a large scale. Why do women give into such limiting beliefs? From highly successful women to those that have endured severe trauma in their lives, the universal theme is that they just don’t believe in themselves. They believe the lies that they are Not smart enough. Not qualified enough. Not educated enough. Not young enough Not old enough Not strong enough Not brave enough When I talk about power words with women, and ask them who God would say they are, oftentimes Enough is the answer. However, why is it so hard for us to actually believe? I have an exercise that I do with my mentees that I want to share with you at home. This exercise is intended to help the student realize skills that they currently have, and areas that they need to work on while coming up with a vocational plan. But for you at home, this is a way to realize your strengths and become more confident in life. Because as we realize our strengths and gain confidence, we begin to see ourselves through the eyes of our creator, and in turn, stop believing the lies that Satan is whispering to us. —Take out a pen and a piece of paper and write down whatever it is that you are dreaming of doing in life. If you have multiple ideas, list the Top 3 Write Down “Three Things I do Best”. In my class, we have previously done a brain dump and dug into all of their talents and gifts. But, at this point, I encourage them to think really intently on their Top 3. This may look like “caring for others, conflict resolution, collaborating, networking, organizing, communicating, manual labor” Second, Write Down “My Top Skills” This can be anything from public speaking, to baking pies. Whatever specific skills you have. This could be bookkeeping, data entry, painting, teaching, cooking, writing, childcare, caregiving. Get really specific on your top 3 skills. This is not a certification or education. This is what you truly bring to the table and how you serve your community. Third, Write Down “My Main Skill Roadblocks Are”. This is where we acknowledge the areas that we are lacking in. List your top 3. By realizing our roadblocks, we can learn how to overcome them. Perhaps you lack in the technology department, you need to watch YouTube videos, read blogs, and listen to podcasts until you become more tech-savvy. Maybe you’re not great at marketing, find someone who is and do what they tell you to do. And, if you’re like I was, you don’t understand bookkeeping and accounting. Once again, find someone who does and learn from them. Fourth, Write Down “Skills I Would Most Like to Learn” Just because we don’t know how to do something doesn’t mean we can’t learn. Determine the top 3 skills you need to help you realize your dreams and chase your goals. Write them down. Then take action to pursue them. Fifth, Write Down “My Negative Character Traits Are” List the Top 3. These can be: insecurity, self-doubt, fearful anxious, unreliability, disorganization, disrespectfulness, undependability, indecisiveness, unforgiving, undisciplined. Be honest here. Just because you realize those character traits does not mean you stay in that place. You make a concerted effort to flip them into a positive. Lastly, Write Down “My Greatest Character Strengths” List the Top 3.